Trouble Keeping Up with Technology Changes

If you’re like many admins working for the average IT organization you are probably still dreaming of the day when your boss will let you buy the network, storage, and server hardware you need to turn on all the cool features VMware has been releasing since 4.x, right?

The truth is you had to disable many of the advanced features like storage-DRS and DRS because they were so disruptive.

In this quick read I guide readers through troubleshooting common problems faced by admins while troubleshooting performance problems on the network, storage, ESXi host and the VM. I specifically cover what causes applications to run slow.

The point I make in this book is how “badly built” or “over-subscribed resources” lead to problems with day-to-day operations.

Now let’s get going with our countdown…

Takeaway #10 – Don’t feel bad for not keeping up with the Jones!

Really, don’t feel a lone or bad because most IT organizations are not keeping up with all the changes going on across the industry. And honestly, most are struggling just like you to put out fires and keep up with constant demands from “the business” which leads us into the next two takeaways.

Takeaway #9 – Learn to properly manage your vSphere!

Last January I was neck-deep in troubleshooting problems related to server sprawl and over-subscription. Basically, it was a free-for-all and the storage and server resources were literally in a TURF WAR.

There were Zombies battling with Bullies and key business applications were taking casualties daily because of poorly managed infrastructure resources. Does this sound familiar?

I get it – we get busy! But getting busy is no excuse for allowing tier 1 applications to be starved because we haven’t done our jobs right!

What I’ve learned is it’s no longer safe to only build your skill-set on VMware. And to offer proof for my point, in a company I recently worked they had 3 different hypervisors running the VMs for 3 of their main applications. The Linux guys were running OVM, the Citrix guys were running Xen, and the Windows guys were running VMware and there was even talk of adding Hyper-V. It’s no longer a black and white choice.

Think about the complexity this introduces for managing staff, servers, storage, and support. Or you can look at the career opportunity it creates for the admin who learns all 3 virtual technologies!

To go along with takeaway #7 I also want to point out how server hardware has really come a long way from the days when we were re-purposing old hardware from the bone-yard. Now we have server technology specifically designed to run virtual infrastructure.

But the point I’m making is along with alternatives for hypervisors, 2014 also introduced multiple hardware options we can use to build our privates clouds on.

Now let’s move on to the next topic and discuss how the traditional VMware admin job is changing. (Top)

How Is A Global Market & The Cloud Transforming Our Talent Needs?

If you haven’t already noticed, recently I updated VMinstall.com and added a new home page. The caption at the top now reads:

IT’S NOT ENOUGH TO “JUST” BE A VCP ANYMORE!

How do I know this statement is true? Because for years I have been interviewing and hiring technical talent and I can assure you having a VCP is no long as big of a PLUS as it was for me in 2007 when I got my first VCP.

Back then there were very few of us so a VCP was almost all it took to get a job. Nowadays there are 40 flavors of VMware certifications to choose from but in all reality “still” a huge gap in people who can really design environments that are low-cost, robust, stable, and scalable.

Takeaway #6 – Have vendors made innovative thinking a lost art?

Here’s my point for this takeaway. Businesses need thinkers who can be creative. We can’t always buy new hardware to build out the newest service offering. Yet as I screen and interview job applicants there is very little evidence anyone is innovative anymore.

Their resumes are a list of certifications and degrees but nothing that stands out and says, I can think!

The takeaway here is the job market is changing because of the fast-pace in which businesses compete. Think for example: Verizon, ATT, Sprint and T-Mobile. There is no room for slacking.

I saw this trend coming years ago when I released my first eBook on Kindle, VCP for Hire: A Manager’s Guide for Hiring vSphere Virtualization Engineers and Administrators >>Read about it here.

We need thinkers!

Takeaway #5 – I’m going to digress for a moment and tell a quick story.

In November of 2014 I attended a VMUG and it was like Déjà vu when the keynote speaker, Scott Lowe, gave a talk on hiring staff and discussed skill-sets for today’s IT.

I have a lot of respect for Scott but sorry folks because if you are an IT manager who is barely realizing this you are 3 – 5 years behind the front-runners.

The shift has been going on since before I wrote my book 2 years ago and while most bloggers have been focused on the technology side of things, VMinstall.com has been focusing on people and the culture changes required to be successful in today’s global market.

A big portion of my posts over the last 3 years have been about service delivery, culture, and even DevOps skills.

What Needs To Change For IT To Improve Service Delivery?

As we begin to wrap up this 2014 retrospective I want to reflect on what’s been working for me over the last 3 years as I managed nearly 50 VMware, Citrix, Linux, Windows, storage and network admins. Listen closely as I reveal my secret sauce.

Takeaway #4 – Understand that people skills are as or more important than technical skills.

I set high expectations not only for myself but for all my teams.

Respect

Courtesy

Patience

Humility

These are only a few of the qualities I rate, review, and look for in current staff and new hires.

There’s something magical about the person who has humility blended with strong technical skills.

The Ultimate Guide for Building a DevOps Start-Up Plan. Read it free here >> DevOps eBook.

Takeaway #3 – Be honest and transparent.

IT people want feedback. No, let me be more accurate. We need feedback. And often.

However, we also tend to get defensive and complain when we feel we are being blamed so this is a sensitive subject which requires balance and a special touch.

My management recipe consists of:

Daily stand-up meetings (not to exceed 15 minutes).

Managing by walking around and talking to everyone daily.

Regular 1:1 meetings and discussions where I give private feedback.

Regularly asking for feedback on how I am doing.

Supporting my team and giving lots of praise.

Staying up-to-date on technology.

Takeaway #2 – Create a feedback loop and listen to what customers say.

Not that I take every comment personally but it’s important that we listen to what people are saying about us and our team, even if it hurts. Which is why another part of my management recipe is to wander around and ask my customers (mostly developers and Dev Managers) how my team is doing and if there is anything we can do better.

Honestly, sometimes all they can do is unload on how long we are taking to build their new environments but other times I am surprised by the compliments. Either way it’s an important part of what is working for me.

On a somewhat personal note I also want to admit this takeaway has taken time for me to learn. It isn’t easy to control our own feelings. But it’s crucial I don’t come-off as the overly defensive manager when I’m looking for honest feedback.

Takeaway #1 – Always be improving and learning.

I want to share 2 buzzwords (phrases) from the DevOps and Agile movement: continuous improvement and continuous delivery. As you can see they both rely on persistence.

Something I have learned over the years is getting better doesn’t happen over night. In fact the best way to improve is to do it small bits at a time.

Whether your goal is to improve the deployment process or the uptime of your tier 1 applications, do it in small bits at a time and you will be amazed by what will happen.

Always be reading, too!

In 2014 I saw the writing on the wall about Docker and started reading and developing my own awareness about container technology.

At only $7.99 it was a deal so I invested in The Docker Book and worked my way through each chapter. I even got carried away and deployed an Ubuntu VM on Amazon EC2, loaded Docker and then set up a WordPress demo site.

Here’s a post I wrote about my first experience with Docker. From the title “What Do Docker Containers Mean For Ops?” you can see what was driving my curiosity.

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